A Florida resident named Julio Baquero who participated in the Capitol riot and fought with police during the melee — and then lied to federal agents about having done so — has been caught and charged with federal offenses. Baquero apparently traveled to D.C. with his roommate, Louis Valentin, who has also been charged with related crimes after he too went inside of the Capitol building amid the chaos. As summarized by a court filing, Baquero claimed in a voluntary interview with law enforcement that “neither he nor Valentin was involved in any violence, or had any [run-ins] with law enforcement” — but photographic evidence reveals that Baquero was not telling the truth.
As explained by that same court filing, “CCTV and body-worn camera from [D.C. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)] Officers show that at approximately 3:04 p.m., Baquero physically resisted officers attempting to clear the rioters out of the Rotunda. During the confrontation, Baquero grabbed at officers, and at one point grabbed the hand of an MPD Officer which was holding a police baton.” Shortly thereafter, Baquero shouted at officers that they were traitors, the document adds, based on evidence from the scene.
Later on, the filing adds that “CCTV and publicly available video show [U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)] officers were attempting to close the east doors of the Rotunda in order to keep expelled rioters from reentering. At this time, Baquero rushed at the officers and attempted to push one of the Rotunda doors open. Baquero had to be pulled away by USCP officers and forcibly removed from the path of the door.” Baquero’s claim of not having had any “run-ins” with officers at the Capitol fell apart. Now, his federal criminal charges include civil disorder and assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees — both of which would appear to be felony offenses in this instance. Civil disorder alone appears to come with a consequence of up to five years in prison, if convicted, while assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers entails up to eight years in jail, if physical contact occurs (as it apparently did here).
Court has unsealed US Capitol riot case against Julio Baquero of Florida, who is accused of grabbing at police baton, pushing open door and shouting "You're a traitor" at police pic.twitter.com/8uAPmTZNyF
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) November 10, 2021
